‘I am grateful to my constituency’

Nigerian performance artist and winner of 2015 Prince Claus Prize for Culture Development, Atiku Jelili, has hailed the art community for its support during his six-month trial at the Magistrate Court, Lagos. He said he was particularly happy that his hypothesis, which he tried to establish through the performance of Aragamago will rid this land of terrorism, was right.

He said he felt extremely happy that the criminal charges against him and five others were dropped. “I tried to say that it was through the feminism energy that our world would be rid of terrorism. The case was presided over by a woman, who used the energy in her to do justice,” he said.

Atiku and five others were arraigned for criminal charges of ‘constituting public disturbance, and inciting the public with his performance on January 14, 2016.’ The charges also included that the artist conspired with four others to ‘commit felony’ with his art. Magistrate J.O. Adeyemi of the Magistrate Court, Lagos, however, acquinted him from all the charges brought against him and five others last month.

He noted that it would have been impossible for ‘us as defenders in the case without the support of the art communities in Nigeria and abroad, citing the efforts of Committee for Relevant Arts (CORA), Arterial Networks Nigeria, Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA), International Artists Forum in Germany and many other organisations like Frontline Defenders as outstanding and marvelous. “I wondered what we would have done without their efforts,” he added.

According to Jelilil, the support of the art community and the artists is not only a demonstration of their relevance in re-engineering the society for change, but also the power of art and culture in promoting critical dialogue in every society.

“The power of arts and culture has once again come to the fore as an important societal element in promoting critical dialogue essential in addressing topical issues. However, the collective energy of artists and cultural officers can set arts free when under attack by any social or political regime. These are the lessons I learned during the trial,” he said. To him, the ruling class would always wish to silence the arts and the artists, but he urged the artists to be truthful and honest to arts and its values.